


The Pace of Change

by Headphone_Love



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Concerned Lance (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), Everyone Is Alive, Fluff, He might have a new one now, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance has many concerns, M/M, Oblivious Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 21:10:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17169458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Headphone_Love/pseuds/Headphone_Love
Summary: While enjoying finally being out of the hospital, Lance and Keith have a very informative talk.Keith learns that Lance was almost a swimmer once and Lance...well, you'll need to read for that bit.-----“I always just knew this wasn’t where I was meant to be...so I thought I’d find a place by flying.”Lance faltered, smile dimming at the words.“I feel like you were meant to be here.”





	The Pace of Change

Lance stared off into the distance with a small amount of disbelief still etched on his face. Here he was, on the beach instead of in space or a hospital bed. The timeline from when they left to now was still a blur in his mind, all that he knew was that he and Veronica were technically only a year apart despite her being three years older. He couldn’t even joke about still feeling young considering all that team Voltron had gone through.

Lance supposed that nearly dying more times than he could count on one hand played a factor in that feeling, something that even his family took notice of when he spoke with them. 

_ ‘You’re not as much of a sabelotodo now!’ _

A slight smile formed on Lance’s lips at the memory while he took in the sounds of the beach he had missed so dearly. In space, there simply wasn’t as much to do or admire, but it did have its own charm in many ways. 

“You look happy.”

His smile faltered before growing even wider, not even turning to see who it was.  “Aren’t you?” he asked curiously, the person moving to stand beside his seated form. When Lance looked over from the corner of his eye, he could see the familiar Garrison uniform. This one was red, however, another signifier of who was talking to him. 

“I am,” the black paladin replied with a sincere expression. “It’s just...weird. I’m not used to so much attention.”

“Yeah, well get used to it, mullet,” Lance teased, moving over and patting the sand beside him. “All of us are going to be followed and stalked like celebrities once that news report goes out tonight. ‘Local Heros Once Lost Return and Save Earth from Aliens...Twice!’” he exclaimed in a hushed voice, using his hands to show how extreme the headline sounded. “More at eleven, John!” 

Keith snorted at the impression, taking Lance up on his offer of sitting beside him. “Almost sounds like you’re used to news headlines.”

“I am, or, used to be,” Lance said, resting his chin against his knees and staring at Keith with a grin. “Before I joined the Garrison, I was a pretty good swimmer. People were expecting me to do it professionally. Become the next Michael Phelps or something.”

Pulling his own knees to his chest, Keith mirrored Lance’s position while his gaze softened. “You never told us that.”

“Being a pilot has nothing to do with swimming.”

Nodding in understanding, Keith went silent. Lance could tell he was trying to think of what else to talk about, a small part of him glad that Keith had mellowed out. He was still awkward despite that, and Lance knew no amount of interviewing or time in the spotlight would change that. 

“I thought you of all people would like the attention,” Keith said honestly. “The fame of it all.”

Lance shrugged and gave an airy laugh. “You’d think, right? But I’m just too happy to be home, you know?” he said softly. “The fame is great...but I’m excited to retreat into normalcy, you know?”

The two went quiet again, Lance knowing that Keith had something on his mind despite his silence. He turned, about to ask until he was startled back into silence when Keith did the same and blurted his question out. 

“Why didn’t you?”

Lance blinked, parting his lips and closing them before snickering. “Remember that context thing we talked about?”

Keith cleared his throat, a bit of pink staining his cheeks. “Become a swimmer,” he clarified, Lance making an ‘O’ with his lips. “Would have been a sure thing...sure as hell would have been less dangerous for you. You would have had the fame and never have had to leave your family.”

Lance hummed in agreement. “I mean, sure. Who knows, maybe I would have loved it all,” he said with a shrug. “But being a sharpshooter sounds  _ way _ cooler than being a swimmer, don’t you think?”

Keith rolled his eyes at the comment, but his lips twitched slightly. “Of course.”

“Besides, if I hadn’t been at the Garrison, I wouldn’t have been around to be a paladin,” Lance added as an afterthought. “I mean, I guess that would have worked out for you, though, right?” he asked with a wiggle of his brows. “You would have had Blue, Red,  _ and  _ Black probably.”

Making a face, Keith pushed air from his nose. “No thanks. Blue was meant for your sucky piloting. The other lions wouldn’t have been patient enough to correct and help you like she did. You’re lucky that Red eventually found you worthy. He was hesitant at first.”

“Hey, it was my first time piloting her when you guys were with me and Red loves me and he knows it!” Lance defended, lowering his knees to cross his arms. “He’s just a little...shy about his feelings towards me!”

Keith held in his laughter, shaking his head as Lance calmed and looked back out at the water.

“But honestly...you would have been the best option without me around. As a swimmer, piloting Blue would have been even worse than the actual first time,” Lance said quietly. 

“Whether a swimmer or a cargo pilot...Blue would have chosen you no matter what. Stop being weird.”

Lance leaned toward the fellow paladin. “You really think so?”

Raising a brow, Keith nodded. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”

Leaning back to his normal spot, Lance processed the words carefully. “Oh. Uh. Thanks,” he said, oddly touched by the words. He hadn’t expected them from Keith of all people, but it didn’t mean they weren’t appreciated. Clearing his throat, he tilted his head. 

“So…”

“So,” Keith repeated in the same manner, earning a smile from Lance. 

“What would you have done...if you hadn’t...you know...become a pilot.”

“Piloting is all I ever wanted to do,” Keith said easily. “Not really all that exciting.”

“Are you kidding?” Lance asked with a shocked expression. “Your skills are awesome, man. I would have been more shocked if you were good at something else  _ and _ piloting...but hearing you always wanted it makes a lot of sense!”

Keith pressed his cheek against his knees. “It does, doesn’t it?” he said with a weak smile. “I always just knew this wasn’t where I was meant to be...so I thought I’d find a place by flying.”

Lance faltered, smile dimming at the words. He had always known that Keith’s belief was that he hadn’t belonged on Earth. Keith had told him several times during their talks in the hospital. Not directly, but in that weird roundabout way that was just so  _ Keith _ . Finding out he was half galra probably hadn’t helped, Lance realized. 

“I feel like you were meant to be here.”

The words slipped out without Lance meaning for them to, but he just looked away with a small tint of pink on his face. 

“What?” 

The disbelief in Keith’s tone upset Lance, but instead of showing it, he repeated himself.

“I said I feel like—”

“I know what you said,” Keith mumbled, sounding more confused than he had in a long time. “I just meant...well, why do you think that? All we ever did was fight.”

“And that was because we were young and I was cocky,” Lance joked, not missing how Keith’s expression relaxed. Not quite a smile, but better than his constipated expression. “Besides, things have changed...a lot,” he continued quietly. 

“And that makes you hate me less?”

Lance groaned, leaning to the side to gently bump Keith. “I never hated you. I just thought you were a show-off and too hot-headed for your own good.”

“So...like you?” Keith said as Lance tensed and shot him a look. It was only after that he noticed Keith smirking knowingly, the fellow paladin quite obviously amused. This only made Lance turn a deeper shade of pink as he scoffed. 

“You know, I was  _ trying _ to make you feel better but you ruined it.”

“Well, you succeeded,” Keith said with a small laugh, Lance unable to be angry when Keith was actually being somewhat playful. His head tilted, gaze softening when he realized just how far they had come since their rivalry days. 

Lance turned back to the sun which was now well into setting, the beach slowly plunging into darkness except for the stars. “Our last sunset before we head out to check on the other planets in the coalition...right?” he whispered quietly. Keith nodded in response, looking more eager than anything else. 

Lance couldn’t really relate to that even if he wanted to.

Their job defending the universe may be done, but sending out the information was still up to them. Thanks to Pidge, the travel time would well be under what it was before, but the thought of leaving again made his stomach churn uncomfortably. What if something new popped up? Or what if it wasn’t all over and they were just being lured into a false sense of security and…

“We should probably go, Lance.”

Lance came back to reality to see Keith standing, holding out a hand to him as a means of getting him up. 

“What time is it?” Lance mumbled, seeming to have completely phased out more than he had meant to. 

“Time for us to get back and get some food and rest,” Keith said easily, sounding more and more like Shiro the longer he was head of Voltron. The two walked back towards the Garrison, heading to their respective rooms to get ready for dinner. 

The entire way, Lance couldn’t help but sneak peeks at Keith, noticing how instead of his usual frown, he looked calm and collected. 

Except for when he caught Lance staring...then he was smiling. 

And Lance was left wondering why, even after they arrived and Keith was back to his normal Keith-self, his heart was beating a bit too fast for the pace they were walking. 


End file.
